Sometimes you will get your fresh pet food frozen and you need to divide it up for smaller dogs or cats. It may surprise you to know that you can safely defrost the meat, and then refreeze it. You just need to remember two numbers to guide you: 48 and 5.

• Meat can be defrosted for a maximum of 48 hours before refreezing, go past 48 hours and it won’t be safe to refreeze it.

• Keep the meat at 5 degrees Celsius or below. Your fridge will usually be at about 2-3 degrees celsius but if unsure, get a fridge thermometer, they can be quite cheap.

To divide meat that was frozen and then refreeze it, follow these steps:

1. Take the frozen meat and put it straight in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours to defrost.
2. Take the defrosted meat from the fridge into a cool room, use air conditioning if you can. The cooler the room, the more time you have to work with the food.
3. Divide it up quickly and seal in freezer proof containers or bags.
4. Place it directly into the freezer, it will keep for three to twelve months.
5. If you don’t want to refreeze, it will keep in the fridge for up to three days if wrapped up.

This post is based on information from the CSIRO.